


Coulson Contest Entry

by choriarty



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: story time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-14
Updated: 2013-01-14
Packaged: 2017-11-25 12:25:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/638884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/choriarty/pseuds/choriarty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two men at a bar talk about the battle and who was lost.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Coulson Contest Entry

**Author's Note:**

> This is a short story I wrote for a COULSON CONTEST on tumblr, and I'm pretty proud of it! I decided to post it to AO3.

"Tch, I feel bad for th' Avengers. Sure they saved th' day and all, but it came at a price didn't it? They never tell you those things in th' papers now do they? It always takes an earthquake to start a tsunami, it always takes a martyr to start a revolution, and it always takes loss to make a hero. Loss of a loved one er of yourself, dun matter."  
"What did they lose?"  
"Who. Who did they lose. Was jus' an agent; some backstage crewmember who never saw the spotlight, but pulled all the strings. You can't have a show without the crew.  
"He was jus' some agent, but one of the only constants in their lives y'know? His heartbeat was th' proof that a regular ol' guy like me could change you without you even noticin'. And jus' like that... it stopped.  
"But I can't help but wonder... what would th' city look like right now if th' agent hadn't died that day? He pivots on 'is heel just before th' staff stabs 'im. A centimetre to th' left... a centimetre to th' right. Loki punctures a lung 'nstead of 'is heart. Would the Avengers still 'ave saved th' city 'n lived happily ever after?  
"A centimetre to th' left... a centimetre to th' right.  
"What if Agent Coulson hadn't died?  
"Loki is jus' a kid who wants attention. He wouldn't be able t' handle ruling th' world same as any other evil mastermind who comes along. It's always the glory 'n th' fame with no rules that get 'em. They want that. But in the end, humans get rid of men like that jus' by being humans. We complain and revolt and are generally cruddy until one day th' tyrant gives up or is assassinated.  
"And as th' agent lay there, helpless, breathing through tubes. Something changed in Iron Man and Captain America. It's one thing to lose someone. Loss is final. But it's an entirely different thing to almost lose someone. It's a different kind of rage. It's blinding.  
"A centimetre to the left... a centimetre to the right.  
"Blind rage. Adrenaline-fueled hysteria. Temporary insanity? A little to the left... a little to the right. Maybe they could have taken down Loki sooner, but it would have been with anger. Their actions would have been moved by revenge or some sort of twisted justice.  
"No one knows, but it wouldn't have been pretty. The team wouldn't have been united like they are now. Then again, he might be alive right now. Used the cover of a death to bring the Avengers together. A little to the left, a little to the right, the sceptre might have gone through his heart. You never know with those secret agency types."  
"How do you know so much, and where did your accent go?"  
"Mm? What accent? Never had one."  
"Who are you?"  
"Call me Phil."


End file.
